Miss Liberty’s Comeback

The 2026 semiquincentennial half dollar honors America’s 250th anniversary with a special one-year-only design known as Enduring Liberty. The obverse, designed by sculptor-engraver Donna Weaver and engraved by mint medallic artist John P. McGraw, shows a closeup of the Statue of Liberty gazing toward the future with hope. The reverse, rendered by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program artist Beth Zaiken and engraved by mint medallic artist Darla Jackson, depicts Liberty passing her torch to a new generation.

The 2026 half dollar is the first U.S. 50-cent piece in 79 years to depict the figure of Liberty.  Prior to the introduction of the Franklin half dollar in 1948, all circulating U.S. half dollars were anchored by an obverse portrait of Liberty in some form or fashion, either up close, seated, or—in the case of the Walking Liberty half dollars struck from 1916 to 1947—astride. The half dollar’s current obverse portrait has been unchanged since 1964, when it was redesigned to honor John F. Kennedy following his assassination. A new portrait of Kennedy is slated to return to half dollars in 2027.

The Enduring Liberty 2026 semiquincentennial half dollar two-roll set can be purchased at the U.S. Mint’s website for $60 beginning May 5.